


Surprises in the Dark

by Dracothelizard



Category: Northanger Abbey - Jane Austen
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Gen, Pre-Relationship, Yuletide Treat, creepy basement
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-24
Updated: 2013-12-24
Packaged: 2018-01-05 23:06:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,398
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1099634
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dracothelizard/pseuds/Dracothelizard
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Of course Mr. Tilney isn't a vampire. And of course the basement Catherine has been told not to go into isn't his secret lair.</p>
<p>Catherine just wants to make sure.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Surprises in the Dark

**Author's Note:**

  * For [foolishle](https://archiveofourown.org/users/foolishle/gifts).



> Northanger Abbey is my favourite Jane Austen novel, and Catherine and Henry are adorable in any era.
> 
> I hope you enjoy your Yuletide treat!

She's being ridiculous.  
  
But.  
  
It is a bit strange that Mr. Tilney, Eleanor and Henry's father, doesn't emerge from his bedroom until it's dark.   
  
Henry told Catherine that his dad used to do a lot shiftwork and his biological clock doesn't know any better.  
  
It is also slightly weird that Mr. Tilney has left his large country house every night since Catherine's been here.  
  
Eleanor told Catherine that they're all social calls, you know how it is around the Christmas holidays.   
  
It is rather peculiar that she hasn't really seen Mr. Tilney eat anything. Of course, with his schedule of sleeping during the day he doesn't join his children or guest for breakfast or lunch, and he has missed dinner as well. But Catherine has been keeping an eye on him, and she's pretty sure he doesn't eat any of the leftovers or anything else once he gets out of bed. He has two cups of coffee, a glass of water, and that's it.   
  
Henry told Catherine that's because his dad isn't hungry when he wakes up and that he usually has something after midnight, once everyone else has already gone to bed.  
  
It is definitely odd that one of the first things Eleanor warned her about after showing Catherine to her guestroom was not to go into the basement under the staircase.   
  
She hasn't told Catherine why.   
  
Catherine has been a guest of the Tilneys for three days now, and she definitely likes spending time with Eleanor outside of uni and essay deadlines, but she has spent the last two nights tossing and turning in her bed, wondering about Mr. Tilney. He can't really be a vampire, can he? Just because he's pale. And quiet. And skinny. And sometimes looks at Catherine a bit funny.   
  
It's her third night here and she's staring at the ceiling. Mr. Tilney has left the house a few hours ago, claiming he was going to see some old neighbour. She doesn't know when he'll be back. Just the idea of sneaking out to see what's hidden in the basement has her heart beat faster.   
  
There won't be a coffin there. Of course there won't. Vampires don't exist.  
  
And yet...  
  
With a sigh, she throws the covers aside and quietly gets out of bed. She slips on her thick socks, shivering a little at the cold, and puts on her purple dressing gown over her pyjamas.   
  
Her heart's beating fast as she makes her way downstairs, wincing at a loud creak. When it doesn't seem like she's woken up Eleanor or Henry, she continues her way. What will she find in the forbidden basement?   
  
She's reached the bottom of the stairs and tucks a strand of her dark, curly hair behind her ear. What if Mr. Tilney comes back and finds her in his secret basement? She should've brought a weapon, but she doesn't own a crucifix and there's no garlic in the house (another thing Catherine thought was suspicious), so she will simply have to be careful.  
  
Step by step she makes her way past the staircase leading up. The only light comes in through the windows, pale moonlight making the hallway a lot spookier than during the day.   
  
She could still go back. Back up the stairs, back in bed, where it's safe.   
  
Catherine keeps going, and is now standing in front of the white door leading to the basement Eleanor had warned her about. She tells herself that she won't find drained bodies down there, but her stomach is squirming with nerves when she puts her hand on the door handle.   
  
The door opens with a low creak. Catherine bites her lip, glancing at the wooden steps leading down into the darkness. There's no lightswitch that she can see.   
  
“This is a terrible idea,” she mutters to herself, one hand on the doorway as she places her left foot on the first step. She keeps her left hand on the wall as she takes another step down, her heart racing, her eyes wide, trying to see something, anything in the darkness below.  
  
Suddenly a hand grabs her arm, and she screams, trying to pull herself free as she's being pulled backward.   
  
“Catherine, it's me!”   
  
“Henry?” she manages, as he pulls her out and into the hallway. It is Henry, wearing flannel pyjama bottoms and a tight, black t-shirt. He's still holding her arm, looking down at her, worried. Her free hand is on her chest, her heart feels as if it's about to burst out of her chest.   
  
“What are you doing?” he asks, his short, blond hair standing up at odd angles.   
  
“I -” She turns to look at the dark basement. “I needed the toilet and, er, got confused?”  
  
Henry narrows his eyes, his grip on her arm loosening. “Catherine...”   
  
“I was curious,” she mutters, ducking her head to avoid his eyes. “Eleanor told me not to go in there and I thought your fa- I mean, I wanted to make sure.”  
  
“My what?” he asks. “Father? Wait, does this have to do with you asking why he sleeps during the day, goes out at night and doesn't eat much? What does that have to do with the basement?”   
  
She pulls her arm free, and folds them across her chest defensively. “Nothing.”   
  
“And you asked about garlic... Catherine, you don't think my dad's a vampire, do you?”    
  
Her face turns red and she hopes her embarrassment isn't obvious to Henry. “No! But you have to admit, it's all a bit strange, isn't it? And why can't I go into the basement?”   
  
Henry sighs, but smiles at her. He shifts closer, his arm going around her and Catherine's heart speeds up for reasons that have nothing to do with fear.   
  
She hears a click, and turns around. There was a lightswitch behind her. Oh.   
  
“That's why you can't go down there,” Henry says, oblivious to Catherine's disappointment. He points at the wooden steps, and now Catherine can see that the fifth one is missing. “The plank gave out a few weeks ago, we haven't got round to fixing it yet.” His tone is apologetic, as if it's his fault she'd been about to go down there.   
  
“Oh God, I could've broken my neck,” she whispers, relieved Henry came when he did. “Wait, how did you know I was here?”   
  
He shrugs. “I heard someone going downstairs, thought I'd check.” His hand is on her arm, rubbing up and down slightly. “Are you okay? I didn't hurt you, did I?”  
  
“No, no, I'm fine.” The only thing wounded was her pride. “I'm really sorry, Henry, I'll just go back to bed.” She gives Henry a brief smile and heads towards the other staircase.  
  
“Oh. I mean, you don't have to.” Henry has put his hands in the pockets of his pyjama bottoms. “Only reason I heard you was because I was awake anyway, watching a film in my room. It was a quiet scene, so...” He trails off and shrugs. “We could watch a film together?”   
  
“What film were you watching?” she asks, mostly to give herself time to think. She likes Henry, a lot, but part of her just wants to curl up in bed and pretend this never _ever_ happened.  
  
“Uhm,” he says, glancing at the door to the basement. “Dracula 2000.”  
  
She bursts out laughing, then covers her mouth with her hand, not wanting to wake up Eleanor as well. “Isn't that one really bad?” she asks, still grinning when she lowers her hand. “With a ridiculous plot?”   
  
He raises an eyebrow. “Says the woman who's finished Twilight and New Moon in the three days she's been here.”   
  
She doesn't bother telling Henry she's read those books so often she's pretty much got them memorised. “Point taken.”   
  
“So?”   
  
“Are you going to spend the entire film making fun of me thinking your father was a vampire?” she asks.   
  
He smiles. “No. Only for half of it.”   
  
She laughs again, quieter this time. She can't blame him, in fact, she's surprised he isn't angry or annoyed with her, just amused. “Fair enough.” Her stomach is still squirming with nerves, but now they're the happier kind.  
  
“We don't have to watch Dracula 2000, you can pick one. Not Twilight,” Henry quickly adds.  
  
“No, no, vampires are fine,” she replies. She feels like she can't stop smiling. “More than fine.”


End file.
